FAMILY COUNCIL OF VICTORIA
AGM AUGUST 17, 2004
PRESIDENT'S REPORT

During the last twelve months, the Family Council of Victoria has continued its established practice of monthly meetings, alternating between meetings of the Executive and of the full Council of its affiliate bodies. Lacking a permanent secretariat, the full council meetings have been held at the headquarters of the AFA and the Executive meetings have been conducted at the home of Babette and Charles Francis of the Endeavour Forum. We are deeply grateful to both affiliate organizations for their hospitality and support.
The year has seen a marked growth in our networking via the Internet. It is apparent that several of our affiliates have developed almost daily newsletters, particularly the AFA through Bill Muehlenberg, Saltshakers with Jennie and Peter Stokes, DACA and David Perrin and the CJC of the Latter Day Saints through Graeme Cray. These emails have greatly improved our response rate to important family life issues and have augmented the depth of our discussions at our monthly meetings. All those who have contributed and responded to these exchanges are to be congratulated and encouraged. Unfortunately we have tended to ignore our webpage and this is a matter that needs to be addressed in the coming year.
Our meetings have consistently covered such issues as the agendas of the homosexual lobby and radical feminism, the anti-life mentality and the elitist proposals of avant-garde academics, politicians and journalists, and the push for the legalisation of drugs spearheaded by a variety of "experts" in senior advisory positions of power. The Council has given steady support to those affiliated members that are engaged in the coalface encounters on all these issues. These are protracted struggles but despite the gross disparity in our financial resources, we have managed to maintain a strong public image as a force to counter the propaganda of our opponents.
In this regard, the FCV was a strong supporter of the highly successful Pro-Family Rally which was held in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra on August 4, 2004. This matter will be covered by Bill Muehlenberg in his forthcoming report of that meeting. As a forerunner to that meeting, we held a very successful one day conference at Deakin University on May 15, 2004. We owe a special debt of thanks to Graeme and Marie Cray for their heroic efforts on the day of the conference but we must also acknowledge the valuable work of the organizing subcommittee and the generous donations that we received from several sponsors. I have already thanked the speakers who addressed our meeting.
I have already said that we are engaged in a protracted battle for the protection and the promotion of the natural family. These matters are set out in our submission to the Senate Committee of Inquiry into proposed amendments to the Marriage Act and the Family Law Act. I table this submission together with my Report and I suggest that they should be posted on our website.
I thank all the office bearers of the last year who have generously donated their time and energies to pursue the mission of the FCV. I exhort you to maintain your momentum and your solidarity for a cause that will affect the future of our nation and the happiness and health of those who will succeed us. For the rest, I leave it to Him who knows all to bless and reward your earnest endeavours.